From Wind Turbines to Dolphins with Bongs: 10 Green-Themed Tattoos

People get all kinds of mind-numbingly stupid things permanently etched onto their skin, from creepy portraits of Zack Morris to very NSFW gay mermen. So, we can’t help but appreciate the tattoos that actually mean something, even if they’re not spectacularly well executed.

Tattoos with eco themes are getting more popular, and as with any type of tattoo design, there are the good, the bad and the WTF. And, while tattoos are never really green, if you do drunkenly stumble into a parlor called Instantly Regrettable Tattoos and wake up the next morning with Al Gore on your ass, there is in fact an eco-friendly method of tattoo removal.

Here are 10 greenish tattoos, from the cute and understated to the “Oh my god, is that a dolphin with a bong?”

By far the best green-themed tattoo we’ve seen is this group of simple wind turbines on the arm of a lovely young lady who is clearly a big fan of renewable energy.

This trio of bicycling enthusiasts have made their love for free, green transportation visible to the world on their backs, forearms and ankles.

There’s hardly a more potent emblem of green than the recycling symbol, so it’s a popular option among environmentalists with a passion for ink.

Sea turtles are at once a beautiful example of the rich array of wildlife that call the world’s oceans home and an icon of the conservation movement. They also apparently make for pretty, tasteful tattoo subject matter – at least in this case.

Maureen, the proud owner of this swamp tattoo, writes “I am a PhD student in Ecology. I have toiled away the years of my dissertation working in wetlands across Ohio. The extended exposureto methane gases and gallons of blood donated to mosquitoes, ticks and leeches inspired my tattoo. In addition to the clear inspiration from my habitat of choice, each item in the tattoo symbolizes a very personal analogy in my own life – past, present and future. I’m pretty sure only nerds among wetland nerds can figure it out. Anyway, as you can see it’s still a work in progress. I have 18 hours in so far and have been working on it for two years. Only a wetland ecologist with a penchant for entomology would sit for such a tedious process, right?”

Vegetarians will appreciate this animal rights-themed tattoo, in which a cow, pig and chicken hold up signs that read “If I barked… or purred… would you still eat me?” Unsurprisingly, PETA is a big fan.

On a similar note, fellow animal lover “Jinxi” has inked herself not only with a bold black “VEGAN” tattoo but also sports a downright amazing portrait of a cow. Seriously, who knew bovine body ink could be so pretty?

The author of a book called “No Regrets: The Best, Worst and Most #$%*ing Ridiculous Tattoos Ever”, Aviva Yael, deemed this her favorite tattoo of all time. Yes, it’s a dolphin with a douchey tribal armband tattoo of its own sitting in a recliner enjoying a nice relaxing bong hit. It doesn’t get much better than that.

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